Asbestos anxiety as girl tumbles into Telstra pit

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Still horrified by the potential discovery of asbestos in a Telstra pit across the road from their house in Sisters Beach are Jarrod Woodland and Melanie Strempel with Angela, 5, and Levi Strempel, 7. Picture: Meg Windram.

A SISTERS Beach mother-of-two got the shock of her life after her daughter partially fell into a Telstra services pit last week.

Melanie Strempel’s daughter suffered minor cuts and abrasions, however it was what she found at the bottom of the pit that was the cause for concern.

After running out to see if her daughter was alright, Miss Strempel noticed broken pieces of cement sheeting at the bottom of the pit.

Miss Strempel and her partner believe it’s asbestos.

“We were observing my daughter out the window of our house playing over the road,” Miss Strempel said.

“The pit is on a hump on the grass and a lot of children play in that area, riding their bikes.

“My partner noticed my daughter go over the hump on her bike when the lid flipped up and she fell into it.

“When we went over to see if she was alright in the bottom of the pit we noticed all the broken bits of asbestos, the pit had deteriorated on the inside.”

Miss Strempel lost her grandfather to an asbestos-related disease and the incident during the week brought back memories.

She was straight on the phone to Telstra to report the incident.

“When I spoke to Telstra they said someone would come out to fix the problem.

“Three days later a technician turned up only to put a plastic sheet over it and a yellow cage.”

Telstra were contacted for comment.

The company does have an asbestos procedure listed on its website.

This comes after crews fitting out pits for the National Broadband Network found asbestos.

More information can be found on the website at www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/media/emergencies-incidents/asbestos/.